Here is a summary of some of the dairy promotion activities and events across the state in the past month.  For more information, please contact Jennifer Duhon. [email protected]
Dairy Promoted at LSU Ag Day 
On March 21 in Baton Rouge, staffers Jen Duhon and Donna Speed participated in a statewide Ag Day hosted by LSU College of Agriculture and the student Dairy Science Club. Approximately 850 students visited the SUDIA booth for dairy-themed activities, a milk tasting and educational materials about dairy.

Photo: Staffers Jen Duhon (left) and Donna Speed (right) promote dairy at the LSU Ag Day in Baton Rouge. 
School Nurses Learn About the Health Benefits of Dairy
On March 30, staffers Jen Duhon and Stephanie Yow spoke to over 200 school nurses at the Louisiana School Nurses Association meeting in Lake Charles. The nurses received information about SUDIA's school dairy programs and the Fuel Up to Play 60 program. Yow reviewed dairy nutrition information that nurses can use with their students.
 
Photo: Staffers Jen Duhon (left) and Stephanie Yow (right) discuss school dairy programs at the Louisiana School Nurses Association meeting in Lake Charles.
Dairy Celebrated at Saints Junior Training Camp in Baldwin
On March 24 in Baldwin, SUDIA partnered with Eat, Move, Grow for a Fuel Up to Play 60 touchdown status celebration at Raintree Elementary School in St. Mary Parish. Over 350 students participated in the Saints Junior Training Camp and a pre-camp pep rally that promoted milk, the dairy industry and Ag Week. Throughout the event, students were encouraged to thank a Louisiana dairy farmer for great tasting, wholesome milk.

Photo: Staffer Jen Duhon (third from right) joins staff at Raintree Elementary School for a Saints Junior Training Camp and dairy celebration.  
Checkoff Partnership Helps Increase Demand for Butter
As our checkoff partnership with McDonald's continues to create increased demand for dairy products, that increase is spreading to restaurants across the category.  For example, now that McDonald's has made the switch to butter, other restaurants are following suit. As the checkoff's work with partners continues, the increased use of butter and other dairy products on menus is likely to expand further. Click here to read more about the popularity of butter.  Click here to see the commercial featuring butter in Burger King's new sandwich. 
Southeast Dairy Farmer Featured in Progressive Dairyman
Last month we covered Alabama dairy farmer Will Gilmer's attendance at the South by Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas and now his account of the event was featured in a recent issue of Progressive Dairyman. Click here to read his perspective of the festival and why it was important for dairy farmers to be represented.

Photo:  Alabama dairy farmer Will Gilmer (left) and Michigan dairy farmer Corby Werth were two of eight dairy farmers to attend South by Southwest (SXSW) Festival on behalf of the dairy industry.